Furniture with changeable covers

ABSTRACT

A self-contained couch wherein a leg-supported upholstered frame provides a sturdy seat, arms at the respective ends thereof and an upstanding tufted backrest. The frame is enclosed within the snug-fitting confines of unfinished but coverable wear-resisting material such as, for example, ticking, burlap, denim, canvas or the like. The seat, arms and backrest are expressly constructed to provide foundation for a unique slipcover having distributively arranged built-in eyelets and attached holddown hooks which are detachably connectable with an oriented elastic anchoring cord stitched on the rear of the seat portion of the couch. The readily applicable and removable slipcover-fabricated from selectively colorful upholstering materials-permits one to selectively vary the outward appearance easily, quickly and at will and in keeping with the tradition of a special occasion, if so desired.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Charlotte S. Kelley 429 N. 5th St., Vandalia, 111. 62471 [21] Appl. No. 817,131 [22] Filed Apr. 17, 1969 [45] Patented June 29, 1971 [54] FURNITURE WITH CHANGEABLE COVERS 9 Claims, 7 Drawing F igs. 52 11.8. CI 297/21s, 297/225 [51] Int. Cl ..A47c 27/00, A47c 31/00 [50] Field ofSearch 297/218, 219, 223, 225, 229 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,820,510 1/1958 Sugarman 297/225 3,199,916 8/1965 Chiarenza 297/229 3,220,768 11/1965 Bird 3,266,065 8/1966 Bereday Primary ExaminerReinaldo P. Machado Attorneys-Clarence A. O'Brien and Harvey B. Jacobson tive ends thereof and an upstanding tufted backrest. The

frame is enclosed within the snugfitting confines of unfinished but coverable wear-resisting material such as, for example, ticking, burlap, denim, canvas or the like. The seat, arms and backrest are expressly constructed to provide foundation for a unique slipcover having distributively arranged built-in eyelets and attached holddown hooks which are detachably connectable with an oriented elastic anchoring cord stitched on the rear of the seat portion of the couch. The readily applicable and removable Slipcover-fabricated from selectively colorful upholstering materials-permits one to selectively vary the outward appearance easily, quickly and at will and in keeping with the tradition of a special occasion, if so desired.

FURNITURE WITH CHANGEABLE COVERS The herein disclosed concept has to do, broadly construed, I

with furniture which is deemed to be an innovation in that the unfinished or, bare couch embodies a leg-supported frame whose primary component parts are padded with thepadded portions snugly encased in permanently applied durable ticking, burlap, canvas or the like, thus providing a basic unit, the couch proper, which is concealed when'readied for use within the confines of a premanufactured slipcover, each of which is made of selectively usable upholstering materials.

Briefly the ready-to-use article of furniture is characterized by the aforementioned prefabricated but unfinished couch proper, a changeable slipcover which is precision made, which lends itself to attachment to and subsequent removal from coordinating component parts of the'couch, and novel easyto-use fastening means which comes into play when the slipcover is applied and which fastens and maintains the same in its neatly applied state. To the ends desired, the couch is characterized by a rigid leg-supported frame embodying a horizontal seat provided at its respective ends with duplicate or companion arms and which is bordered along a rearward marginal edge by a vertical upstanding complemental backrest. The seat, arms and also backrest are upholstered, that is, embody compressibly resilient appropriately fitted frame-supported padding. This padding or cushioning materi al is wholly enclosed within the limits of securely attached tight-fitted covering material such as unfinished canvas ticking, burlap or the like. The backrest is provided with distributively arranged tufting. Each tuft embodies an openended tubular tuft-forming sleeve. The sleeve in turn is embedded in and accordingly passes through coacting padding and the ends of the sleeve are flanged and fitted through front and rear openings provided therefor in oriented portions of the covering material. The slipcover can be readymade and stocked or made to order, as desired. Accordingly, the appearance of the couch can be changed from time to time easi-v ly, quickly and economically. It follows that one grade or kind of upholstering material can be used for every day purposes, a rich highly attractive fabric for special parties, florals for spring, solids for winter, red felt with throw pillows for Christmas holidays and so on. With these innovations in mind it will be evident that the couch, as such, could be purchased at a moderate price because of the economical upholstering materials and a set or group of slipcovers could likewise be purchased and changed from time to timeand kept on hand for the special occasions desired.

In carrying out the principles of the invention, each tuft is characterized by an open-ended tubular tuft-forming sleeve, said sleeve being embedded in and passing through the padding and having flanged terminal ends which in conjunction with the prescribed length of the sleeve fits though front and rear openings provided therefor in oriented portions of the covering material. The flanged sleeve thus provides the front and rear dimple effect which in turn partly defines a decorative tuft. The individual distributively positioned sleeves serve to accommodate insertable and removable headed pins, the heads of which serve as ornamental tuft decorating buttons. Then, too, the slipcover has systemmatically arranged eyelets, that is, holes with grommets whereby the eyelets can be lined up with the flanged sleeves and pinned or fastened in place.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective, that is a view of an exploded type showing the prefabricated unfinished couch, illustrating the flanged ends of the tuft-forming sleeves or tubes, the headed rods or pins used as fasteners, and the slipcover in a position above the couch and readied to be applied.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing one end of the ready-to-use furniture and including an insertable and removable seat cushion.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view with parts in section and elevation and parts broken away and which is taken approximately on the plane of the vertical section line 3-3 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is across section on the plane of the vertical section line 4-4 of FIG 3. 4

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the section line 5-5 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 6 is a perspectiveview of one of the fastening rods or pins showing both buttonlike heads.

And FIG. 7 is a detail perspective view of an inside corner showing the manner in which the elastic cord is sewed in place. 4 g

The principal component parts or units which go to make up the overall ready-to-use furniture are both shown with requisite particularity in FIG. 1 wherein it will be noted that the unfinished or bare couch is denoted by the numeral 10 and 'the changeable or optionally applicable and removable slipcover is denoted, generally viewed, by the numeral 12. The couch I0 is also herein designated, for convenience of description, as a leg-supported upholstered frame. A cornponent part of the frame is denoted, for example, by the numeral 14 in FIG. 3. The corner legs are denoted at 16 in FIG. I. Construed broadly the frame or couch comprises a horizontal elongated seat 18, arms 20 at the respective ends thereof and a vertical backrest 22 which borders the rearward longitudinal edge of the seat. The seat, backrest and arms embody compressibly resilient padding of appropriate material denoted by the numeral 24. The frame supported padding is fitted and retained within the tight-fitting confines of the enclosing orencasing covering material which, as already pointed out, can be and usually is ticking, burlap, canvas, muslin or the like. This material is designated, generally stated, by the numeral 26 in FIG. 1. The above upholstered frame or couch 10 is of ordinary construction thus far described. On the other hand, it is unique in that it has built-in or self-contained facilities for fastening and retaining the slipcover 12 securely in place once it is applied for use as shown for example in FIGS. 2 and 3. The facilities disclosedare such that they function to provide a plurality of distributively arranged appearance changing and ornamenting tufts such as shown broadly .in FIG. I and somewhat more in detail in FIG. 3. Each tuft, whether it be in the arms or in the backrest, is of the construction shown in FIG. 3 wherein it will be noted that each tuft embodies a tubular open-ended sleeve 28 which is of a prescribed length so that when it is embedded and caused to penetrate the padding also serves to depress aligned portions thereof to provide the desired dimplelike depressions 30 at the front and rear surfaces. More specifically the end portions of the tube or sleeve are provided with outstanding flanges 32 which exert end-thrust pressure on the covered padding and provide the desired dimples or depressions. The flanged sleeve in each instance serves to accommodate novel headed fastening means, more particularly, a rod or pin. For example, the rodlike pin is shown in FIG. 6 is denoted by the numeral 34 and is of a length to extend through the open flanged'ends of the sleeve or tube 28. There is an upholstery covered head 36 at the right-hand end in FIG. 6, fixed or separable and a reduced male ball-like head 38 at the left-hand end. This head 38 provides a part of a snap fastener and is intended to be releasably engaged with a cooperating female snap fastener 40 embodied in the attachable and detachable covered button or head 42. When the pin or rod is installed and the heads are brought into play as shown in FIG. 3 the desired decorative tufted effect is achieved. Manifestly, these headed fasteners are brought into play when the slip cover 12 has been applied as suggested in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The slipcover (one example shown in FIG. 1) ,is characterized by upholstering material which may be of any one of a number of upholstering fabrics. In any event and regardless of the particular material the slipcover comprises a seat portion 44 which is conformable with the seat portion 18 and hollow arm portions 46 which fit over the arms 20 and a backrest portion 48. This carefully prefabricated slipcover lends itself to use in the manner shown when it is off in FIG. 1 and on in FIGS. 2 and 3. The aforementioned distributively arranged attaching and retaining eyelets are built into the desired front and rear surfaces of the backrest portion 48 and also the front portions of the arms 46. Each eyelet comprises an opening marginally surrounded by an appropriate grommet 50. In practice the grommets are lined up with the respectively cooperable flanges and the headed pin is applied in the manner suggested in FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive.

Not only is the slipcover positioned and held against displacement by the eyelets and headed fastening pins (FIG. 6) one wall or surface of the backrest as shown in FIG. is provided with holddown hooks. Only one hook is shown in FIG. 5 and this is denoted by the numeral 52. This hook is adapted to be detachably anchored on a holddown elastic cord 54 which extends lengthwise at the juncture of the backrest 22 and seat 28 as brought out in perspective in FIG. I. This elastic cord is under tension and has an eye 56 at one end which is sewed or otherwise anchored in place as at 58. Thus the slip cover is not only pinned" in place to provide the desired grommet appearance in effect butis further held against displacement by engaging the hooks (any number) with the elastic cord as-suggested in FIG. 5 at 52 and 54 respectively.

As previously suggested, the couch or frame 10 can be purchased at a moderate price because of the economical construction thereof and particularly the 'tough economical upholstering or covering material. The slipcovers 12, only one shown, can be purchased one or more at a time and depending on the wishes of the owner or user as the case may be. It is reiterated that the general concept has to do with a line of couches and changeable covers, the couches being generally unusable without the covers and the covers being generally unusable without the couches.

The slipcovers herein under consideration can be readymade and stocked by stores carrying the couches to eliminate the waiting period of having a cover made. Therefore, in case of an 1 lth hour spot or company on short notice, a fresh cover can be gotten off the shelf or purchased that day permitting immediate change. Also and as already set forth, the Slipcovers can and will be made to order too,.using material in keeping with the customers choice.

It is believed that a careful consideration of the views of the drawing in' conjunction with the description will enable the user to obtain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the invention. Accordingly, a more extended description is deemed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What 1 claim as new is as follows:

1. In combination, an unfinished but self-contained couch characterized by a rigid leg-supported frame embodying a horizontal seat provided at its respective ends with companion arms and bordered along a rearward marginal edge by a vertical upstanding complemental backrest, said seat, arms and also said backrest being upholstered and embodying compressibly resilient appropriately fitted frame-supported padding wholly enclosed within tight-fitted securely attached covering material made of durable wear-resisting ticking, burlap or the like, said backrest being tufted, each tuft embodying an open-ended tubular tuft-forming sleeve, said sleeve being embedded in and passing through the coacting padding and having flanged terminal ends fitting through front and rear openings provided therefore in oriented portions of said covering material, and a readily applicable and removable made-to-order slipcover made of ornate upholstery and conformingly fitted over and concealing the component portions of said couch, said slipcover having seat, arms and backrest portions, said backrest portion having distributively arranged eyelets, at least one of said eyelets being aligned with a cooperable flanged terminal of said sleeve, and means separably fastening said eyelet to said flanged sleeve in a manner to assist in anchoring the slip cover in its given snugfitting stay-put position.

2. The combination defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said sleeve is of a length shorter than the crosssectional thickness of said coacting penetrated padding whereby each outstanding flange serves to compress and indent the associated encompassing padding and adjacent covering material in a manner to form the depressed dimplelike portion of the companion tuft.

3. The combination defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein said fastening means embodies at least one decorative constantly visible button which is oriented with the companion eyelet and also wherein said button serves to seat the eyelet-equipped portion of the slipcover in the said dimplelike portion.

4. The combination defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein said fastening means comprises an insertable and removable rod, said rod passing through said sleeve with its ends projecting beyond the flanged terminal ends of said sleeve, said rod being provided at its respective ends with ornamental buttonlike heads.

5. The combination defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein said fastening means comprises an insertable and removable rod, said rod passing through said sleeve with its ends projecting beyond the flanged terminal ends of said sleeve, said rod being provided at its respective ends with ornamental buttonlike heads, said rod having forward and rearward heads, the forward head being rigid and the rearward head being readily attachable and detachable.

6. The combination defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said couch is provided at the juncture of the seat and backrest with an elongated elastic holddown cord having its ends anchored in place in a manner to tauten and retain the cord under tension, and attaching and retaining hooks carried by the backrest portion of the slipcover and releasably engaged with portions of said cord to assist in maintaining the slipcover in a set rumple-resisting position.

7. In combination, an unfinished but self-contained couch embodying a frame embodying a horizontal seat provided at its respective ends with companion arms and bordered along a rearward marginal edge by a vertical upstanding complemental backrest, said seat, arms and also said backrest being upholstered and embodying compressibly resilient appropriately fitted padding wholly enclosed within skintight securely attached covering material made of durable wear-resisting material, said backrest being tufted, and a readily applicable and removable custom-made slipcover made of ornate upholstery and conformably fitted over and concealing the component covered portions of said couch, and built-in means for detachably fastening the slipcover in its readytouse position, and wherein said means is characterized by l. a tubular open-ended sleeve having assembling and retaining flanges at its respective ends and 2. by an insertable and removable pin, said pin having buttonlike heads at its ends and one of said heads being readily applicable and removable.

v 8. The combination defined in and according to claim 7, and wherein said couch is provided at the juncture of the seat and backrest with an elongated elastic holddown cord having its ends securely anchored in place in a manner to tauten and vretain the cord under constant tension, and attaching and retaining hooks carried by the backrest portion of the slipcover and releasably engaged with portions of said cord to assist in maintaining the slipcover in a set rumple-resisting position.

9. In combination, an unfinished but self-contained couch embodying a frame-having a horizontal seat provided at it's' respective ends withvcompanion arms and bordered along arearward marginal edge by a vertical upstanding complemen tal backrest, said seat, arms and also said backrest being upholstered and embodying compressibly resilient appropriately fitted padding wholly enclosed within skintight securely attached unfinished covering material made of dura"- ble wear-resisting material, canvas or denim for example, said backrest being tufted, and a readily applicable and removable readymade slipcover precisely fitted over and conformably concealing the component covered portions of said couch, and built-in means for detachably fastening the slipcover in its ready-to-use position on said couch, and wherein said means is characterized by l. a tubular open-ended sleeve having assembling and retaining flanges at its respective ends and 2. by an insertable and removable pin, said pin having buttonlike heads at its ends. 

1. In combination, an unfinished but self-contained couch characterized by a rigid leg-supported frame embodying a horizontal seat provided at its respective ends with companion arms and bordered along a rearward marginal edge by a vertical upstanding complemental backrest, said seat, arms and also said backrest being upholstered and embodying compressibly resilient appropriately fitted frame-supported padding wholly enclosed within tight-fitted securely attached covering material made of durable wear-resisting ticking, burlap or the like, said backrest being tufted, each tuft embodying an open-ended tubular tuftforming sleeve, said sleeve being embedded in and passing through the coacting padding and having flanged terminal ends fitting through front and rear openings provided therefore in oriented portions of said covering material, and a readily applicable and removable made-to-order slipcover made of ornate upholstery and conformingly fitted over and concealing the component portions of said couch, said slipcover having seat, arms and backrest portions, said backrest portion having distributively arranged eyelets, at least one of said eyelets being aligned with a cooperable flanged terminal of said sleeve, and means separably fastening said eyelet to said flanged sleeve in a manner to assist in anchoring the slip cover in its given snug-fitting stay-put position.
 2. The combination defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said sleeve is of a length shorter than the cross-sectional thickness of said coacting penetrated padding whereby each outstanding flange serves to compress and indent the associated encompassing padding and adjacent covering material in a manner to form the depressed dimplelike portion of the companion tuft.
 3. The combination defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein said fastening means embodies at least one decorative constantly visible button which is oriented with the companion eyelet and also wherein said button serves to seat the eyelet-equipped portion of the slipcover in the said dimplelike portion.
 4. The combination defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein said fastening means comprises an insertable and removable rod, said rod passing through said sleeve with its ends projecting beyond the flanged terminaL ends of said sleeve, said rod being provided at its respective ends with ornamental buttonlike heads.
 5. The combination defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein said fastening means comprises an insertable and removable rod, said rod passing through said sleeve with its ends projecting beyond the flanged terminal ends of said sleeve, said rod being provided at its respective ends with ornamental buttonlike heads, said rod having forward and rearward heads, the forward head being rigid and the rearward head being readily attachable and detachable.
 6. The combination defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said couch is provided at the juncture of the seat and backrest with an elongated elastic holddown cord having its ends anchored in place in a manner to tauten and retain the cord under tension, and attaching and retaining hooks carried by the backrest portion of the slipcover and releasably engaged with portions of said cord to assist in maintaining the slipcover in a set rumple-resisting position.
 7. In combination, an unfinished but self-contained couch embodying a frame embodying a horizontal seat provided at its respective ends with companion arms and bordered along a rearward marginal edge by a vertical upstanding complemental backrest, said seat, arms and also said backrest being upholstered and embodying compressibly resilient appropriately fitted padding wholly enclosed within skintight securely attached covering material made of durable wear-resisting material, said backrest being tufted, and a readily applicable and removable custom-made slipcover made of ornate upholstery and conformably fitted over and concealing the component covered portions of said couch, and built-in means for detachably fastening the slipcover in its ready-to-use position, and wherein said means is characterized by
 8. The combination defined in and according to claim 7, and wherein said couch is provided at the juncture of the seat and backrest with an elongated elastic holddown cord having its ends securely anchored in place in a manner to tauten and retain the cord under constant tension, and attaching and retaining hooks carried by the backrest portion of the slipcover and releasably engaged with portions of said cord to assist in maintaining the slipcover in a set rumple-resisting position.
 9. In combination, an unfinished but self-contained couch embodying a frame having a horizontal seat provided at its respective ends with companion arms and bordered along a rearward marginal edge by a vertical upstanding complemental backrest, said seat, arms and also said backrest being upholstered and embodying compressibly resilient appropriately fitted padding wholly enclosed within skintight securely attached unfinished covering material made of durable wear-resisting material, canvas or denim for example, said backrest being tufted, and a readily applicable and removable readymade slipcover precisely fitted over and conformably concealing the component covered portions of said couch, and built-in means for detachably fastening the slipcover in its ready-to-use position on said couch, and wherein said means is characterized by
 1. a tubular open-ended sleeve having assembling and retaining flanges at its respective ends and
 2. by an insertable and removable pin, said pin having buttonlike heads at its ends. 